Pours an opaque super dark brown with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to a partial film on top of the beer. Small streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Small chunks of sediment are seen floating around in the beer after the pour. Smell is sour with malt, raspberry, acidic, wood, and slight whiskey aromas. Taste is much the same with sour raspberry, acidic, and wood flavors on the finish. There is a medium amount of acidity on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer with a tasty mix of raspberry and whiskey barrel aged aspects all around.

this is easily the best of the origins variations i have had so far. the raspberries and whiskey barrels do a lot for this. in the base beer, i never really loved the type of sour it was. all front of tongue flanders red type acid, and not as much other flavors as some other crooked stave beers, but those issues are resolved beautifully here. the raspberries give it a pinker look than it usually has, but the bubbles remain prominent despite barrel treatment. the nose of this is great, fresh raspberries meet oak and vanilla, along with lactic tartness in high degree. the flavor is berries first, sourness second, a nice one two punch. the fruit gives it some sweetness, and make it have a late summer vibe. the sourness is still there, but the acidity seems reduced, and i like it for that. well oaked finish with some warming booze and vanilla properties, but i am not getting whiskey specifically at all here. i would like to try the other fruit versions, but this beer already has a lot of cherry flavors to me, so the addition of real cherries may not add as much (i have not yet had that version). the raspberry seems the perfect companion for origins. well carbonated, medium bodied, and the alcohol shows just enough. really well done.

The beer pours a very dark color with a reddish hue. There is a finger of thick tan/pinkish hue that has really good retention. The smell of this beer is slightly tart and full of raspberries with a nice chocolate undertone. As nice as the smell is, the taste is even better. Very tart with lots of raspberries. The roast/chocolate undertones are very smooth and compliment the fruit perfectly. Think a sour raspberry truffle. The raspberry flavor is very natural. The finish is acidic, quite tart, and dry.

I really enjoyed this beer. I'll definitely be having more in the future.

Poured into a CS snifter, a deep, dark brown-black color--almost looks like a stout, even when held up to the light. A full two fingers of tan head well up, then sink to a thick layer of bubbles that retains surprisingly well, right to the end, leaving random lacing on the glass. Big lacto tartness in the nose, vinous, sour raspberry and cherry, damp wood. The sourness of this almost blew me away...and I mean that in a good way. This is arguably the most sour CS brew I've had. Tart with raspberries, and lots of them, dry grassiness, toasted oak; there's a distant dark malt presence, but the sour raspberry pretty much conquers all here, finishing with a mild sweetness. The whiskey is really hard to pick up at all amid the tartness, but as the beer warmed, I actually began to sense a very subtle vanilla presence in the finish. But no candiness to this beer, rather, it's really good, really sour, really real raspberry, fresh from the bush. Medium body, moderate carbonation, puckering tart and crisply dry mouthfeel. Overall: wow!

T - Tart raspberry flavour that doesn't overwhelm the other elements of the beer compliments a sourness that just restrained enough to not be puckering. The oak is fairly noticeable with the whiskey just showing up slightly in the finish.

dark reddish brown pour with a slight fizzy head. smell is HUGE on raspberries ..wow.. taste starts out very tart and then you get a huge kick of raspberries...whiskey on the finish, though slight. damn tasty...wow. perfect amount of sour and fruit. great feel...medium bodied, medium carbonation.

Appearance: dark brown to a light black bodied beer; it is opaque. A massive 3 fingers worth of long lasting and substantial beige head with a tinge of dark redness. Drops down to a thin cap that does not go away. Moderate lacing on the side of the glass.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied beer with moderate carbonation levels. This is really well carbonated and thats what makes this beer so phenominal. Higher carbonation levels really amplify the sourness and dryness of this beer in the most perfect way! Though this beer is really flavorful, very sour, and moderate on the "dryness" levels, it still drinks really really easily.

Overall: This is probably the best Crooked Stave offering that I have ever drank to date! Yes, its really is that good! Its like a raspberry bomb plus a flanders red with a lighter than normal malt profile for a flander red. It is even reminiscent of bottle of Cantillions Lou Pepe Framboise with over 5 years in the bottle. This is truely excellant sour beer! Bravo Crooked Stave!

A huge thank you to cocoapuph for sending this, my first selection from a box full of awesomeness that came last week. Cheers man!! 2013 bottle.

Pours dark brown, close to black in the glass and topped with 3 fingers of frothy, khaki head. Trat raspberry, dark chocolate and some lactic sour on the nose with a touch of whiskey barrel and coconut.

Quite sour with tart raspberry, cocoa, ...there's a bit of whiskey barrel too if I really look. Not a ton going on, but what's there is very nice.

375ml bottle thanks to the person I trustee for. Dark brown, minimal head. Aroma is a touch of malt sweetness, vinegar, not bad. Flavor is nice, touch if chocolate, sour, fruity but the raspberries aren't very distinct. There is only the most mild hint of the whiskey barrel. Overall this is one if the better 2013 cellar reserve beers but still not worth the money in my opinion.

Pour is extremely dark purple with a white head and purple hue. Nose has a tart fleshy raspberry, more malt body then the other sours of the night, chocolate malt and a bit biscuity. Faint plastic acetic note in there. Taste is much sweeter, a ton of fleshy raspberry, a bit too sweet, still has an interesting maltiness, chocolate malts and a touch of roast. Finish is sweet, berry sugar flavors, creamy feel, a hint grainy in the finish with the start of an acetic burn in back.

The beer pours a dark black/brown with a 1/2 inch of a fluffy tan head that laces. The nose is a sour funkiness, sweet caramel/vanilla oakiness, tart raspberries, and acetone. The taste brings all the potent funk of a world class sour together with an abrasive oakiness highlighted by tart raspberries. It has an absolutely intense medium-full body, blending effervescent, saturating wood flavors with tart raspberries, funky yeast, a bone dry finish. This is definitely an incredible sour, which may highlight the barrel more than the raspberries, but still has a distinct fruitiness and is definitely delicious.

A: Scary cool looking dark brownish red color. No light getting through except for edges. Initially a full finger of very tight bubbled head. Fizzed into a thin layer of bubbles and a collar. Light tan. Cola like.

S: Very interesting. Initially I thought, it's just a big ABV Flanders. Getting tart cherry and oak. Slight funk. But pulling in, you get more fruit and vanilla and tannic wood. Some booze there as well.

T: Tartness right in tip of tongue. Prickly carbonation. You get the raspberry and tannic wood. Like a dry red wine. But you pull the vanilla from the whiskey. Dry and

A- Pours finger dark vanilla head with very low retention. Head sticks to the glass. Crazy amount of carb. Extremely dark red, looking dark brown, non transparent. The liquid is not foggy looking, just really dense.

S- Deep raspberry, base of funk and malt. The fruit cuts through the funk though leaving more of a prevalent fruit dominance. I am getting a touch of barrel there as well.

T- Tart raspberry that fades into a taste that I don't like... oud bruin. I hope it gets better down the glass, and I will change if it does. The raspberry is there, the barrel is there, but the co-mingling between the two don't mesh for me.

M- Kinda harsh with too much carb. I hope the bottle mellows out as I go. Tart acid hits the mouth. On swallow, too much carb interferes with the brew. I have another bottle to revisit in a year or so. Hope it gets better.

O- I had huge expectations for this one, but I was a bit let down as I didn't get a smooth beer with the adjuncts seemingly fighting each other.